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More stadiums offer alcohol

Walk through the tailgate area at a college football stadium, and beer drinking is as common a sight as fans adorned in jerseys of their favorite players.

A growing number of schools are bringing the party inside, opening taps in concourses that traditionally have been alcohol-free zones.

North Texas, SMU and Troy University will begin beer sales to the general public this season. They’re among 21 on-campus football stadiums where any fan of legal age can grab a brew. That’s more than twice as many as five years ago.

“Every institution is looking at how they can increase revenue streams, and alcohol is one of those,” said Jeff Schemmel, president of the consulting firm College Sports Solutions LLC. “Everything is on the table.”

The NCAA does not sell alcohol to the general public at its championship events. Schools and conferences are allowed to make their own policies.

According to an Associated Press survey of the 21 beer-selling schools that own and operate their stadiums, about half their concessions revenue is derived from alcohol. All but four of those schools are in conferences outside the Power 5 that don’t earn significant television money.

Troy athletic director John Hartwell estimated beer would bring his Alabama school about $200,000 in commissions this season. According to its contract with concessionaire Sodexo, Troy will receive 43 percent of gross beer sales at its 30,000-seat stadium, or better than $2 for every $5 beer.

The Big 12’s West Virginia began beer sales in 2011 in part to counter a problem with drunken fans coming and going from tailgate parties during games. Beer sales have produced no less than $516,000 each of the last three years for West Virginia.

Troy football season ticket holder Brian Ross, who also attends the Trojans’ road games, said he sees worse behavior at stadiums where alcohol isn’t sold. Troy is among five Sun Belt Conference schools selling beer this fall.

Ross said a lot of tailgate partiers chug as much beer as they can before entering no-alcohol venues so they can “keep their buzz” throughout the game.

“Now these people will realize they can get one in the stadium and they don’t need that last beer at the tailgate,” Ross said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving national president Jan Withers said her organization opposes any alcohol in a college environment because most of the students are under 21.

“Kids are watching adults all the time,” Withers said. “If they see the only way to have fun is to drink a lot, then they’re going to model after that. That’s not the message we want to be sending to them.”